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Looking to expand operations to a second location the owners and residents of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel are put in the position of impressing a group of American investors, more specifically, a disguised inspector who just might be the dashing writer Guy Chambers (Richard Gere). Meanwhile, life stories continue for all and the pending nuptials of Sonny and Sunaina (Dev Patel and Tina Desai) loom overhead. How can this possibly work out? Bringing together the superheroes of British acting royalty, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, and Diana Hardcastle all return for more feel good warmth in this simple story. After all, it’s not really the story that sells this film but rather the genuine and interesting characters that are honest, endearing, and fun to sit with for about two hours. In particular, Smith and Nighy are poised to win over hearts with their unique dry humor and delivery. Suitable as a matinee or a rental, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is rated PG.

Lifelong con-man Nicky (Will Smith) runs into trouble when an old accomplice and flame(Margot Robbie) shows up and throws a wrench in his latest scheme. Staying in character and never giving up the con are the rules to live by, but doing so could lead to a deadly outcome. How to survive one more heist? Written and Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, this twisting, turning, who done who plot seems to lumber through the motions trying to outsmart the audience, playing them as “the vic” or “the newbie,” slowly letting everyone in on the super secret stuff that con artists do. Which, mind you, is interesting stuff, and the perfected art of pickpocketing with assistants is an impressive orchestration to watch, but then there’s the romance side to the film, and while Smith and Robbie do seem to share on screen spark, their overall story is as dry as the Las Vegas dessert, ho hum. All told, think matinee, but really more of a rental later. Focus is rated R.

Frank and Zoe (Mark Duplass and Olivia Wilde) are two lead medical students with assistants Clay, Niko, diabetes and pregnancy and documentarian Eva (Evan Peters, Donald Glover, Sarah Bolger). On a quest to bring people back from the dead and give second chances to the world, the gang stumble upon what might just be the secret of re-animation. Of course there are always the unintended consequences of disrupting nature’s balance, but what if? What if? Based on the name of an actual rare medical condition where the body of a deceased individual flings their arms out to the side upon autopsy (don’t ask how I know these things), Director David Gelb takes his first stab into feature length cinema with this moderately suspenseful thriller. Trouble is, writers Luke Dawson and Jeremy Slater haven’t come up with anything terribly new morphing Flatliners (1990) with Carrie (1976), and once again, with an omnipotent super-villain created, all logic gets shot in the foot and the thrill is gone. So, strong start but repetitive finish makes this a rental later for a few jump scares. The Lazarus Effect is rated PG-13.